By Jim Mashek
The South Warren boys basketball team had a pretty solid game plan for Warren East in the KHSAA District 14 tournament on Monday night.
Attack the rim, play defense and stay out of foul trouble seemed to be the Spartans’ mantra, as they used a balanced offensive attack to eliminate Warren East 60-41 on South Warren’s home floor.
South Warren (16-14) will now face the tournament’s No. 1 seed, the Warren Central Dragons, in a semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Raiders finish their season with a 6-21 record.
“The guys figured out a way to get it done,” South Warren coach Blane Embry said. “This time of year, I know it’s a cliche’, but it’s survive and advance.”
Jace Carver, Caleb Mitchell-Franklin and Jonathan Hill made sure the Spartans were aggressive on offense, and South Warren had the speed to slow down any transition game Warren East might have had in mind. In the second half, the South Warren lead fluctuated between 13 and 20 points.
“We came out a little slow,” Carver said. “We beat them twice this season, so we might have taken them a little lightly. We knew we could do some things (offensively). We just have to keep moving forward.”
Carver and two South Warren teammates — Mitchell-Franklin and Cadon Veltkamp — all finished the game with 14 points. The Spartans will be toiling with Dre Boyd and the Warren Central front line on Tuesday; the Dragons swept South Warren in the two games during the regular season.
“We’re excited to get after Warren Central,” Veltkamp said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Ryan Carter led Warren East with 15 points and Kaleb Matlock added 14.
GREENWOOD OUSTS WARREN CENTRAL 51-46
Greenwood coach Zach Simpson had to make a decision when senior forward Annie Laxley turned her left ankle in the first few minutes of the 5-4 game between the Lady Gators and Warren Central.
Laxley left the floor for treatment and didn’t return to the bench until the third quarter. Then, with Greenwood nursing a 37-33 lead with eight minutes left, Simpson turned to Laxley and got her back on the floor.
“We talked to the trainers, and we talked to Annie,” Sampson said. “It’s pretty much an emergency when you lose, you go home, and being a senior, I wasn’t going to stop Annie from playing in that fourth quarter.”
Laxley and fellow Greenwood forward Kayla Grant, who finished with 13 points, gave the Lady Gators a decided rebounding advantage. Greenwood point guard Leia Trinh, an eighth grader, led all scorers with 21 points.
“They really couldn’t guard Kayla,” Trinh said. “(Laxley) coming back, that was huge. We needed her rebounding.”
Simpson’s squad will now tangle with No. 1 seed Bowling Green (23-6) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
“That’s a step in the right direction for us,” Simpson said. “(Trinh) has been tremendous all year. Leia wants the ball in her hands when it matters.”
Warren Central finished its season 11-20. LaAunnie Lewis led the Lady Dragons with 16 points and teammate Kennedee Robinson added 11.
